CDC’s Report to Congress on Traumatic 

Brain Injury Epidemiology and Rehabilitation

Recommendations for Addressing Critical Gaps 

Traumatic brain injuries (TBI) can lead to lifelong problems that not only affect 

the lives of individuals and their families, but also have a significant impact on 

society and the economy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 

developed a Report to Congress, entitled Traumatic Brain Injury in the United 

States: Epidemiology and Rehabilitation, to describe: 

➤ How many people are affected by TBI and how their lives are 

impacted; and 

➤ What is known about the effectiveness of TBI rehabilitation. 

This summary provides a snapshot of key recommendations from the full report.

What’s the Issue?

A TBI can affect how a person feels, thinks, acts, and learns. These effects can last 

long after a person’s medical treatment and rehabilitation are completed. Falls 

and motor vehicle crashes, are the leading causes of TBI overall. Understanding 

the health effects and available rehabilitation services necessary to improve 

quality of life is vital for reducing the burden and cost of this injury. 

What Can Be Done?

The goal of TBI rehabilitation is to improve the overall quality of life for persons 

living with TBI. Rehabilitation interventions and services can help those living with 

TBI by improving their ability to do daily tasks independently, engage with friends 

and family, and participate in their community. As outlined in CDC’s report, critical 

research gaps need to be addressed to improve guidance about how to best 

enhance quality of life for individuals living with TBI. CDC’s recommendations are 

focused on improving rehabilitation research and service delivery in ways that will 

better the lives of persons living with TBI and their families. 

In one year alone, 

TBIs accounted for 

approximately:

2.2 million

EMERGENCY 

DEPARTMENT VISITS

280,000

HOSPITALIZATIONS

50,000

DEATHS

National Center for Injury Prevention and Control 

Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention
CDC Recommendations

CDC identified the following recommendations for researchers, public health 

practitioners, and decision makers:

Improve Estimates of TBI 

➤ Collect data on how many TBI patients are treated in out-patient clinics, 

urgent care facilities, and other non-hospital settings. 

➤ Calculate the number of TBIs that occur within each state.

➤ Estimate the number of persons living with a disability caused by a TBI.

➤ Develop and implement a surveillance system to improve estimates of 

sports- and recreation-related concussions experienced by youth.

Enhance Measures Used to Evaluate Rehabilitation Success 

➤ Increase the use of health information technology (e.g., electronic 

health records) to improve tracking of patient progress and determine 

rehabilitation effectiveness.

➤ Develop comprehensive measures that can better determine the 

effectiveness of rehabilitation therapies.

➤ Adapt and test promising measures within specific populations, including 

children, older adults, and racial/ethnic groups.

Improve TBI Rehabilitation Research and Service Delivery

➤ Conduct studies examining the optimal timing, intensity, and frequency of 

rehabilitation therapies.

➤ Develop service delivery models that better connect patients and their 

families to the clinical and community services that support lifelong needs. 

➤ Increase the use of alternative sources for service delivery, such as 

telemedicine, to improve access to rehabilitation services for those in 

remote or rural areas.

➤ Expand the use of promising technologies (e.g., GPS, paging systems, and 

smartphones) to aid with rehabilitation.

The public health burden of TBI is substantial—affecting the lives of millions nationwide. 

While prevention of TBI is the key public health strategy for reducing the burden, it 

is imperative for those in public health, clinical practice, and research to design and 

evaluate effective rehabilitation strategies that reduce the negative health effects of TBI. 

However, access to services may be limited for those in need due to cost, geographic 

restrictions, and insurance. Filling critical research gaps, increasing access to care, and 

improving the effectiveness of rehabilitation services can help lead the way to improve 

the overall quality of life for persons living with TBI and their loved ones.

 To learn more please visit www.cdc.gov/TraumaticBrainInjury

The FY 2016 

President’s Budget 

includes an increase of 

$5 million for CDC to improve 

estimates of sports- and 

recreation-related concussions 

experienced by youth.

CS253199-C